This invention relates to food processors of the type having a feedtube protector which must be properly inserted on a cover and manually operated by the user of the food processor in order to enable the operation of the food processor. This invention provides a convenient feedtube protector and single-motion cover lifting structure which advantageously enables the simultaneous removal of the cover and feedtube protector in a single motion using one hand.
The present invention is applicable to food processors of the type having a working bowl with motor driven tool drive means extending into the bowl with which various selected rotary food processing tools can be engaged to be driven for performing various food processing operations in accordance with the desires of the user. A removable cover is secured over the top of the bowl during use. The cover includes a feedtube having a passage way which opens downwardly through the cover into the top of the bowl, and food items to be processed are placed in the feedtube and then pushed down into the bowl by means of a removable food pusher which is adapted to slide down in the manner of a plunger in the feedtube. The food items are sliced, grated, or otherwise processed, by the rotary tool in the top of the bowl.
Additional information with respect to such food processors may be had by reference to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,985,304--Sontheimer; 4,198,887--Williams; 4,200,244 --Sontheimer; 4,216,917--Claire and Sontheimer; 4,213,570--Jones; and 4,227,655--Williams.
Of particular interest to the present invention is U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,373, entitled "Feedtube Protector For a Food Processor". The feedtube protector has an outer sleeve carrying an actuator thereon and a movable food pusher mounted for movement within the interior of this outer sleeve. The outer sleeve is nestable over the feedtube with the food pusher being aligned with and manually movable as a plunger within the passageway of the feedtube. When the cover is properly positioned on the bowl and the feedtube protector is properly positioned on the feedtube, then the actuator becomes operably associated in enabling relationship with the control means in the housing to permit operation of the motor drive, thereby preventing the inadvertent insertion of a hand or a foreign object into the feedtube when the rotary tool is being driven by the motor drive. With the protector in place on the feedtube, the food pusher may be used to feed food items which are to be processed toward the rotary tool. The food processor cannot be operated without first properly positioning the feedtube protector fully nested over the feedtube. Since the food pusher becomes directly aligned in blocking relationship with the passageway of the feedtube before the motor drive can be energized, it is not possible inadvertently to insert a hand or a foreign object through the feedtube into the food processor while the food processor is being operated. Among the advantage of the aforesaid feedtube protector are those resulting from the fact that the cross-sectional area of the food passageway and the feedtube can be made relatively large, as may be desired, so that larger food items can be inserted whole into the food processor. Also, as a result, the entire machine can safely be scaled up to larger sizes by enlarging the covered bowl and feedtube without endangering the user.
As described in detail in said Pat. No. 4,226,373 the feedtube protector and the cover are separate items. Therefore, the normal procedure for removing the cover from the bowl is first to remove the protector and set it down on a counter in one motion of the user's hand and then to remove the cover and set it down on the counter in a second motion of the hand.